


Tonight we ride or die

by jongintomyworld



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Makeup Sex, Outer Space, Riding, Space Cowboy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:09:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28759362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jongintomyworld/pseuds/jongintomyworld
Summary: In a world where whenever you utter big lies, a scar forms on your body. One day during a fight Sehun tells Jongin. "I don't love you, I've never loved you." And then a scar appears on his cheek.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 20
Kudos: 100
Collections: Sekai's Grace





	Tonight we ride or die

**Author's Note:**

> happy kai day!!! i love jongin so much
> 
> i’m aware that 14th of jan has passed for many of you guys but it’s still 14th of jan for me so i’m sorry if i’m posting late!
> 
> this fic is also part of my very first fest which i decided to join on a whim and it was honestly a very interesting experience. i just wanted to thank grace for being so patient with me! with that, i hope you guys enjoy this fic! 
> 
> (ps. i slightly changed the context of this prompt, not sure if this is what the prompter had in mind but i hope i did ~some~ justice to it! also, jongin’s name is often interchanged as kai in this fic for reasons you’ll find out as you read on)
> 
> follow me on twitter: @jongintomyworld !

✶ ✶ ✶

All he sees is red.

Surroundings drenched in pure crimson. Looming skyscrapers cast a dark shadow over his figure. There’s a deep throb in the back of his head. He shuffles forward in an attempt to move, but the heavy weight on his feet impedes.

The sound of laboured breathing reaches his ears, but he’s doubtful it’s his own. Something about the dreamscape feels uncanny— somewhat unsettling. Almost akin to a memory buried deep inside the back of his mind; one he can’t seem to access no matter how hard he tries.

_Come home._

Someone’s beckoning him.

_Sehun._

The voice gets louder, familiar but haunting.

_Sehun._

His neck throbs.

_Sehun._

“Sehun.”

The click of a torch tethers Sehun back to reality as he turns his head to find Yixing staring down at him. “You okay?”

“Huh?”

“You seemed a little out of it for a minute there.” he chuckles, pulling out a tablet from under his desk. “I checked your vital signs and they appear to be fine. You don’t seem to have any deep scars that require skin-grafting either so that’s good. There’s also no issue with your birthmark, which is odd considering you mentioned some kind of soreness in that area. When did that start?”

Sehun massages the side of his neck with gentle fingers as he glances away. “It’s been on and off the past few Orbits. But it only recently got intense, maybe about a week ago? It was weird that my birthmark seemed a bit redder than usual.” He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “I also get attacked by these really bad migraines and vivid dreams everytime it happens.”

“Hmm, that is rather strange.” The head physician’s eyebrows pinch together in confusion as his fingers work swiftly on the keypad. “For now, I advise you to monitor the symptoms for another week to see if they worsen. I’ll prescribe some painkillers, just in case it gets unbearable. Should it ever reach that stage though, best you check back in with me as soon as possible.”

Sehun nods dazedly. “I will. Thanks, Yixing.”

✶ ✶ ✶

“Looking cute, my man.” Chanyeol teases as he walks past the sulking detective on mop duty for the week. Ruffling his short black locks, the male in question straightens up and sends the older a pointed glare.

“The next time I catch you and your cotton candy ass hair receiving bribes from a criminal, you’re taking over.” Sehun prods the older’s armoured chest in retaliation when he bumps their shoulders together playfully.

“Hey now, being the Aster Prime’s nephew means I’m officially excused from punishments, remember? Besides, there are way more important things at hand—as if anyone’s gonna give two hoots about me making a quick buck from parking tickets.”

Sehun scowls in disgust, swishing the dirty mop across the older’s pristine boots. “Thanks for shoving my low-born status in my face. Now get lost.”

“Oh come on, you know I didn’t mean it like that.” Chanyeol slings an arm around his shoulder unapologetically. “At least you’re good at your job! Speaking of which, I haven’t seen you on a case in awhile. When does your probationary period end?”

The younger sighs. “Don’t know, I suppose when management thinks I’ve served enough time for my mistakes.” Sehun clutches onto the mop and shoves it into a nearby utility locker.

“Technically, you didn’t even break any rules though. I think Management’s gone a little bit overboard with you.” Chanyeol leans against the wall, fingers fiddling with the blinking buttons on his chest boredly. “I mean, if this is to punish you for letting one of the most notorious hitmen—in the entire universe—slip through your fingers, then they sure as hell play some hard ball. It’s also literally been 2 Orbits since they assigned you a partner.”

Sehun pushes past the older with a frown, lithe fingers running through his own damp hair. “That one’s on me, I declined a replacement.”

“What?” Chanyeol tags along after the brunette. “Why would you?”

“And what, go through all that again? As if my trust issues could handle another beating.” Sehun rubs his neck, soothing the familiar throb creeping up his nape— a tell-tale sign of his usual migraine. Striding towards the pantry, he decides that a quick coffee break would alleviate the pain.

He pops a small Nespresso capsule into the machine. The soft whirring of the coffeemaker and wafting scent of cocoa beans eases his senses. Sehun leans against the counter contemplatively, as he turns towards the older. “You know exactly why it’s different for me.”

Chanyeol exhales, folding his arms across his chest. “So what if your old partner was a murderous double agent? It’s not like new scars appeared on him every week, how could you possibly have known.”

“He barely had them anyway. You know how it is with liars; believing in themselves so deeply, their lies eventually becomes their truths.”

“Yeah, I suppose it’s a skill that comes with the job.” Chanyeol shrugs. “Once upon a time you saw that as confidence in him.”

Sehun scoffs tiredly. “Yeah well, that was poor judgement I suppose.” The next thing that spills out of Chanyeol’s loud mouth renders the younger at a loss of words.

“Do you miss him?”

Chanyeol must to have struck a nerve in Sehun when he notices the younger pondering in silence at length. The brunette doesn’t really know if the lie would be worth the pain, so he settles for a noncommittal shrug.

The older chuckles at the action, shaking his head. “After all that, and you still won’t admit that you love him.”

“We were partners.” Sehun takes a careful sip of his coffee before letting out a heavy sigh. “Imagine thinking you’ve known someone for nearly half your life. Then waking up one day and realising that... maybe you never really did.”

There’s an empathetic pat on Sehun’s back as the pink haired male moves closer. “He must have had his reasons, ones we may never know. But whatever it is, you can’t pull a solo act forever stud. Xolar’s way too dangerous for a single law enforcement officer like you to handle.”

“I could take on ten guys by myself, no problem.” the younger smirks confidently.

Chanyeol wags an accusatory finger at him. “Yeah, you know what, maybe you’d make a good criminal after all,” he chuckles, adjusting the holster around his waist. “—you seem to be real good at lying to yourself.”

He heaves a grunt as Sehun throws a jab to his gut. The brunt of the force must have resonated through the heavy suit—if the taller’s sudden fit of coughs and flailing arms were any indication.

Sehun dusts his hands off and saunters out of the pantry, with a steaming cup of coffee in hand.

✶ ✶ ✶

The sudden wailing of sirens sends everyone into red alert as members of Aster Patrol Troops dart into formation at the base of the Main Tower.

“Sir, Aster Patrol’s just detected an anomaly on the Northwest plane of the Aster Pulse bridge.”

The Aster Prime strides onto the platform. “How far from the Black Pearl?”

“About 2 klicks. ”

“Transit flow?”

“Inwards sir.”

“No sign of spacecrafts or airships?” he probes, eyes glossing over the statistics on the screen.

“Negative sir, the energy lasted about 3 seconds but was heavy enough to be detected by the anti-gravity monitors.”

“Pull up a screen on all similar incidents and cross check the APBs for a match. Standby the troops for a briefing.”

✶ ✶ ✶

It’s times like this when Sehun wishes that Aster Force would simply relieve him of his duty, since the most useless officers were the ones on probation for bending the rules. There was no way he could possibly be of help when he wasn’t even allowed to work on regular cases.

Torturous really, forcing him to sit in for briefings only to have him remain at his desk, finishing up paper work and creating a new filing system. It was almost impossible to convince management that the mistake of letting his partner escape was beyond his control, which had led him to the exact predicament he was in right now. How was he supposed to know his partner would just vanish into thin air during the transfer process?

He saunters casually into the briefing room and heads straight towards the far corner, just as the Aster Prime steps onto the deck.

“Troops, today’s briefing contains classified information which we’ve received from Central Intelligence.” He clicks on the remote and a slide beams up onto the holographic projector. Sehun barely glances over at it out of resignation, but instantly does a double take when he recognises the images plastered all over the screen.

“Document No. 6 Subject 88, Kai. One prior arrest for murder, detained in Xolar but escaped. He possesses rare powers of teleportation, one of the rarest we’ve seen in the galaxy.” Sehun feels his body go numb the moment his curious eyes land on a mugshot of his former partner. Memories from the past crash over him like a tidal wave and the sealed emotions he’s tried so hard to tuck away, threaten to rip at the seams.

“He’s adept at both spatial and time leaps, and radiates red energy on the heat maps—so keep a lookout. He’s already got an APB out on him.” Sehun’s hands start to tremble out of shock when he feels the weight of prying eyes on him. A steady presence appears next to him almost immediately, shoulder edging in front of his. Chanyeol circles a comforting grip around Sehun’s wrist.

“We’ve got about 48 hours to track him down before he goes off the grid. Alpha Team take North, Beta East, Gamma West and Delta South. I want you scouring the entire realm for any signs of him. Remember, he’s an experienced hitman. High flight risk, highly dangerous. Proceed with caution.” The Aster Prime glances down at the base of the Tower, eyes zeroing in on the lean figure with his head bowed.

“Dismissed.”

Chanyeol pulls Sehun over by the arm to stop him in his haste. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Sehun whips his head around to glare at the older, clear green eyes brimming with a sheen of tears. “I have to find him.”

“Sehun—“

“I need to know why he did all that.”

Confusion paints across the older’s face as his eyebrows knit together at the revelation. “What are you talking about?”

The brunette aggressively rubs away a stray tear that manages to trickle down the curve of his cheek. “Why he blatantly lied to me. Why he left without a trace. I’ll find him and bring him in like I should’ve back then.”

Chanyeol stares at him passively before eventually exhaling a sigh of resignation. “So you need closure.” He releases the younger’s arm and leans in to whisper discreetly. “Are you sure you’ll be able to find him before the troops do?”

There’s a determined glint in the younger’s eyes as he clasps a hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

✶ ✶ ✶

“My uncle will skin me alive if he finds out I’m helping you search for your criminal boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” The brunette frowns, staring blankly out the window. The hovercraft sways from the sudden onslaught of turbulence from the heavy winds and rain.

“What the hell? It’s bad enough there wasn’t a hurricane warning on the weather forecast earlier today, now we have to search in the dark too!” Chanyeol huffs in annoyance.

Sehun closes his eyes, taking in a deep breath as another wrack of nerves assault his body. His hands are clammy and his body won’t stop shaking. This was the only chance for him to find the answers he’s wanted. He knows time is against him, with Aster Patrol sweeping throughout the realm for this man. But nothing was going to stop him from finding him first.

The younger startles when he feels a soft pat on his lap. “Hey. Listen to me, we’re reaching the coordinates. There’s a bulletproof vest, a pair of spectral goggles and a tracking device inside the crate back there. Go and put them on.”

Scrambling out of his seat, the brunette unlocks the metal crate and searches through all the equipment and artillery. He pulls the vest over his head and straps it on, ears perked while listening to Chanyeol’s instructions.

“Press the red button at the top, it’ll send out a GPS signal so I know exactly where to find you.” The hovercraft tilts forward in descent just as Sehun activates the tracker and pulls on the goggles.

Chanyeol lands in an open field, right by the Moon river leading straight out into the Esk sea. The pair put on their helmets and make sure they’re equipped with everything they need before disembarking.

“You sure you don’t need a rifle?” Chanyeol yells over the roaring of the rain.

“I’m good.” Sehun pats the holster around his hip where his pistol is neatly tucked. “You go that way, I’m gonna go check out beyond the overpass.”

“You sure you can handle it on your own? We’re not even sure if he’s here.”

Chanyeol’s concern is pushed aside as the younger nods affirmatively in his direction. “You see me in your tracker don’t you.”

“Okay but be careful, we meet back here in 15.”

Thunder rumbles in the distance as they both part ways, jogging in opposite directions. Sehun knows this area like the palm of his hand. It’s close to his old apartment complex before he moved, where Jongin and him used to meet after successful missions for picnics or late night talks. It was where they used to discuss game plans and strategies before a raid while watching the sun set over the horizon.

It was also where they shared their first kiss when Sehun had gotten promoted to Team Manager.

He thought moving houses would completely erase the memories attached to this place, but on the contrary they still continue to haunt him on many sleepless nights. Sehun wonders if they haunt Jongin too.

The brunette scans the area sharply, looking through his goggles for heat signatures or sudden movements. He reaches the overpass, steps slowing down as he glances around. A rose shrub in full bloom catches his eye. Memories of the exact day they rooted this come rushing back and Sehun feels his neck throb.

_“I got you these.”_

_The older raises an amused brow. “What’s with the flowers?”_

_“Dunno. Passed by a florist and thought they were pretty?”_

_“The...florist?”_

_“The flowers, you idiot.” Sehun smacks him in the arm, unamused._

_The blonde male chuckles heartily, dimples making an appearance as he sniffs the bouquet with a satisfied grin. “Thank you, they must have been expensive. Guess I’ll be running myself a bath with these tonight.”_

_The stir in the pit of his stomach intensifies as Sehun revels at the inexplicably gorgeous man in front of him. Smart, kind and ambitious all wrapped within a perfect package of glowing tanned skin, droopy eyes and pink pouty lips. Jongin was everything Sehun wanted in a best friend and more. He wanted more._

_“It suits you.” he blurts out and the older turns, humming at him in question._

_“The roses. They suit you.”_

_Jongin gazes at him with gentle eyes, voice soft as he leans closer. “In what way?”_

_“The beauty, the passion, the sacrifice—“ Sehun blushes when the he meets the older’s attentive eyes. “The love you give others. They represent you well. And you look good in red so...”_

_There’s a mischievous smirk on his handsome face when he reaches over to pull Sehun in by the waist. “You know what’ll look better on me?”_

_“Nothing?” The younger plays along, eyebrows raised teasingly._

_“No. You.” When Jongin leans in for a kiss, Sehun simply yields his body completely._

_Here in Jongin’s arms is where he feels the most at home. Dreams of a near future together flash past his closed eyes as he tightens his grip around the older’s taut bicep._

_“Thank you for staying by my side.” The older murmurs against soft lips, giving one last smooch before pulling away. “Should we plant one?”_

_“Here? I don’t think they’ll grow. Roses need a lot of sunlight.”_

_“You’ll never know if you don’t try.” the older winks with a small giggle, pulling out a small pocket knife to root the roses._

_“That mindset will get us killed in action one day.”_

_“Well, look on the bright side, at least we’ll die together.”_

_Sehun folds his arms skeptically, quirking a brow. “Will we?”_

_“Of course, how could I live without you?”_

_“Is that a promise you’ll be able to keep?”_

_The bright smile that plasters itself onto Kai’s face is blinding, almost looks artificial. Eyes averted with the excuse of concentrating on the flowers, he nods his head with a hum._

Sehun frowns bitterly at the memory.

He saunters over to caress a soft petal. It’s not possible for the shrub to be in full bloom when it was barely taken care of under a dingy overpass. “How...”

He takes off his goggles to admire the vibrant red—so healthy and alive. Sehun wishes he could feel the same. The sound of pattering rain recedes around him.

Just then, he folds over, clutching his head in his palm. The throbbing pain on his neck intensifies, knocking the wind out of him as falls helplessly to his knees. It feels like his head is being split open into two.

Clenching his eyes shut, his mind drifts off into a familiar haze.

He sees red again. Looming skyscrapers that cast a deep crimson shadow over his figure. Any attempts to move are impeded by the heavy weight bound on his feet.

“Sehun!” Chanyeol’s muffled voice calls for him in the distance.

His ears pick up on soft, static crackling from behind him. The hair on his nape stands at its full height when he feels warm puffs of air breathing heavily down the back of his neck. Calloused hands reach around his lithe waist, curling them into a tight grip.

“I got you.”

✶ ✶ ✶

Sehun’s head spins when he finally comes to. He seems to be in some sort of old building undergoing construction, with all the concrete surrounding him. Blinking rapidly to clear his bleary vision, his eyes roughly make out a dark shape standing in the corner of the room. He instinctively reaches for his pistol, aiming blindly at the mysterious figure.

“Stay right where you are or I’ll shoot.”

“Calm down, Sehun. I’m not here to kill you.” That familiar deep, gentle voice that once soothed him of his worries now filled his body with dread. His vision sharpens. Sehun’s hands are clearly trembling, but the gun in his hands remains pointed at the bronzed male. He glares at the lean figure looming over him in silence, taking in his appearance under dim lighting.

The tight black turtleneck hugs Jongin’s figure perfectly, cargo pants hanging loose on his hips and combat boots tightly laced. The bejewelled sun visor and stetson on his head make him look almost unrecognisable at first glance. Apart from the familiar broad shoulders and thick girth of his biceps, his former partner stands before him like a whole other person.

He lowers into a squat, dark hooded eyes levelling with Sehun’s. “You don’t believe me?”

“Why should I?” the younger scoffs.

A heavy sigh escapes his parted lips, eyebrows knitting together into a frown. “You know me better than anyone else—”

“No, I don’t actually.” Sehun releases the safety catch and points the barrel right at the older’s forehead. He stands up slowly, backing away from the older.

“Sehun just—put down the gun and I’ll explain.”

“I trusted you.”

“Let me explain—“

“Hey Kai, what do I do with—“ The blonde intruder puts his hands up in the air when the muzzle shifts towards his direction.

“Oh? Hi! You must be Sehun.” he beams cheerfully despite the hostile energy resounding through the room.

The brunette’s mind is way too messed up to fathom the situation at hand. “And who the fuck are you?”

“Ooh, you like them fiesty I see.” He nudges Jongin and turns back to find himself dodging a bullet that manages to graze right past his shoulder.

“Geez! Give a little warning next time will you, that almost scarred my pretty face.”

The younger remains stoic. “Answer the damn question.”

“Why the hell did we let him keep the gun again?” the stranger glares pointedly at the taller and sighs. “I’m Baekhyun. Kai and I work together. We’re part of an elite brand of bounty hunters called the Shadow Corps. We’re kinda like Space Cowboys but with special powers.”

Baekhyun levels his stare at the brunette from where he’s standing. “Our allegiance is to the Red Force on Planet Red. You’ve probably been brainwashed into thinking that Kai’s a murderer, but let’s be clear about one thing; bounty hunting is what we do. We kill bounties to protect what’s important to the organisation.”

“And you think killing innocent lives will protect you?”

Jongin scoffs incredulously, interjecting. “The lives we take are hardly innocent, Sehun.” He teleports swiftly, and the younger briefly panics when a sudden impact to his elbow makes him drop his gun.

Jongin materialises by the ledge, Sehun’s pistol twirling in his hand as he steps closer towards the precarious edge to admire the cityscape. Bright rays of moonlight dance around the streaks of purple in his ash blonde hair when he turns back towards the brunette.

“When we sever the link, we can break the chain.” he mutters grimly. “Drugs, women, children, weapons. The bounties we’re assigned to kill are all part of the underground syndicate who spend most of their time rolling around in dirty money.”

“Yeah, and don’t even get us started on that reverent Aster Prime of yours. A fucking kingpin is what he is.” Baekhyun chuckles dryly. “If we wanted to take him out, we could, but I guess we’ll just have to settle for his nephew at the moment.”

Right on cue, they hear a deep voice yell at the top of his lungs from the floor below. “Hope you don’t mind but we brought him along with us since he was being a nuisance to our mission. I’ll go see if he needs help.”

“I swear if you fucking touch him—“

“Baekhyun wouldn’t. It’s not what we came here to do.” The older interjects curtly.

Sehun directs a piercing glare right at the tanned male. “Then why are you really here?”

“I’m here to take you home. Where your powers and potential won’t have to be hidden any longer.”

“What does that even mean?”

He turns around slowly, back leaning casually against the hard concrete wall as he blinks evenly at the younger. “You belong to Planet Red, Sehun.”

The furrow in Sehun’s brows prompts the older to continue as the ash-blonde male saunters over to where the former has gone rigid. “When our Kingdom was invaded, we lost the war and the Aerolan King sold our people across the universe for eons as prized possessions in the Black Markets.”

“They’ve sent millions of children from our Kingdom to all parts of the galaxy to be put up for adoption and slavery in exchange for money. That’s how orphans like you and I ended up here. The moment we’re born, we’re marked with a binding agent that suppresses our powers to make us weak and docile, like most other celestial beings in the galaxy. But some of our binds expire. Us purebloods especially, then begin to manifest our inert strength through our powers.”

He stops right in front of the younger, nuzzle of the pistol raised to gently caress the soft skin of Sehun’s translucent cheeks. “The lost children of the Red Kingdom, are a dangerous but superior race. We are destined for greater things in the universe, Sehun.”

“So, you’re telling me,” A sudden shove causes Jongin to stumble backwards slightly. “you came back here just to convince me to go to some godforsaken planet nobody’s even heard of— because you think I have special abilities?”

“You do have special abilities.”

Sehun lets out a disbelieving chuckle. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You’re putting your life on the line for nothing.”

“My life is always on the line. As is yours, Sehun. I’m just trying to help you.” He shrugs noncommittally, pausing to toss the gun back at the younger.

“You’ve helped me enough by leaving me the first time.” Sehun scoffs haughtily, shoving his gun back into its holster.

The brunette suddenly winces in pain when the birthmark on his neck throbs.

“Your time’s almost up. Whatever you’re experiencing is only going to get worse if you continue to ignore this.”

“Shut up.” Sehun spits the words out like venom.

Jongin sighs quietly. “I can make it better.”

Averting his gaze when the older moves to breach into his personal space, he shakes his head in disappointment. “When will you stop lying to my face?”

Jongin snaps; hand snatching Sehun’s wrist into a vice-like grip.

“Look, I know you’re angry with me and you have every right to be. But I’ve never regretted a single moment with you, because I always lived as my truest self.” He gazes deeply into the younger’s eyes, briefly hesitating.

“Sehun, I fucking love you and I know you feel the same way—“ The sound of a tight slap resonates through the hollow room.

Thunder rumbles in the distance. Kai rolls his jaw, raising an eyebrow at the younger incredulously.

“You’re a fucking coward who used my feelings and naivety as an opportunity to escape, and left me behind to pick up all the pieces while being an object of ridicule. I don’t love you, Kai. I’ve never loved you.” Sehun’s vision goes blurry from the tears that have unconsciously welled up in his eyes. A strong gust of wind blows through the open ledge.

The next thing he knows, he’s doubled over— rendered on his knees and overcome with a sharp, searing pain slicing right across his face.

Clutching helplessly onto the ground for support, he reaches a trembling hand up to press against the stinging sensation on his cheek and glances down at the fresh smear of blood on his palm in disbelief. He stares blankly at the concrete floor as blood continues to drip onto the surface.

The sound of ripping fabric cuts through the deafening silence.

Warm palms cradle his jaw to refocus his attention. “If you were gonna lie, you could have at least made it more convincing.” Kai sighs, tone gentle as he presses down on the deep wound with a piece of torn fabric. Sehun allows the cloth to soak up the tears streaming down his face when he finally lets them go.

The ash-blonde male clicks his tongue in concern. “That’s gonna leave a mark. Hold this.” He mutters quietly as he leaves in search of a first aid kit to stitch the younger up.

The older returns with a small plastic box which Sehun recognises as an emergency kit he’d gifted Jongin many Orbits ago. There’s a dull ache in his heart as he recalls the old memory. Jongin lifts the sterilised needle and tilts the younger’s face by the chin.

“Close your eyes.”

Sehun lets out soft whimpers as the older works on his face in silence.

The lie was worth the pain. Seeing that split second of hurt flash past Jongin’s face was worth all his suffering—of denial and longing that was still rooted so deeply in his chest.

The tan male finishes up the final stitch and covers the wound with fresh gauze. He draws in a deep breath, gentle eyes roaming all over brunette’s features. Once glowing porcelain skin, now dull with fatigue. Dark circles cast a shadow underneath bright emerald eyes that lack mirth. Hollow cheeks further emphasising his sharp jawline. Even when he looked worse for wear, Sehun was the most ethereal being Jongin has ever laid his eyes upon.

It was never his intention to deceive Sehun and leave him here all alone. He never wanted to hurt the person that mattered the most to him.

“I’m sorry.” Guilt swims in his brown orbs as he maintains eye contact with the younger. “For everything. I never meant to hurt you like that.”

Sehun stares back impassively.

“I wanted to tell you everything, but it wasn’t your time yet. And my summon came as soon as my binds expired—” As Kai brushes a stray lock of the brunette’s hair back, he gets a sharp swat from the male in question.

The older sighs in resignation, elbows resting patiently on top of his knees. “You can resent me all you want, Sehun. But I’m not your enemy.”

The air is positively charged as they reach an impasse. They glare at one another in silence, submerging themselves further into the abyss of darkness surrounding them—reading into the depths of each other’s souls.

Just as Sehun opens his mouth to retaliate, Jongin surges forward and pulls him close. Their teeth clatter messily as the blonde aggressively captures his lips and kisses the brunette. Stunned, Sehun takes a moment to recollect himself—relishing in the weight of Jongin’s lips against his own.

The feeling of warm lips on him lulls him into a sense of familiarity. Sehun closes his eyes and reciprocates, heaving out a ragged sigh as plush lips—slick with spit, rub against each other with intent to bruise. Jongin tugs him over by the holster and Sehun clambers onto his lap when the older starts to pepper kisses down his neck.

He yanks the stetson off the older’s head and flings it across the room. “Stupid fucking cowboy hat.” he mutters against a warm forehead. Jongin smirks against the column of his neck, suckling on the pristine porcelain skin to bloom a bright purple bruise.

“I don’t care if you’ll never forgive me for what I did,” Jongin’s teeth latch onto the skin underneath his jaw, biting on it once before pressing soft kisses. “I just want you to know that I’ve never once lied to you.”

Jongin casts a soft gaze at the younger, reaching under his shirt to rub comforting circles on the exposed skin around his waist. “I meant every word I said to you.”

“I’ve tried so hard to hate you, Jongin.” Sehun breathes against his cheek, forehead resting against the older’s. “I felt so lost the moment you disappeared.” He circles his arms around strong broad shoulders.

“There was supposed to be no secrets between us.”

“I know. Of course I wanted to tell you, but the situation wasn’t so simple.” Jongin leans up to press a firm kiss against the younger’s jaw, basking in the scent and warmth he’s been yearning for all these Orbits.

“I’m sorry. I wish I could have afforded to have my life revolve around you as much as I did in yours. But it doesn’t discount the fact that I thought about you every single day and how deeply infatuated I am with you.” Sehun glances down into deep brown eyes when he feels Jongin’s fingers intertwining with his. There’s a skip in his heartbeat, warmth pooling in his gut when he recognises the expression on the latter’s face.

“Please, come home with me? I’ll stay by your side until you’ve had enough.” He raises their joined fingers to his puffy lips, kissing the back of Sehun’s hand with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

It’s quiet at length. Nothing else around them matters as they stare into each other’s orbs, bodies moulding perfectly like the final piece to a puzzle. Sehun blinks evenly at the male below him. “Is that a promise you’ll be able to keep?”

A radiant smile finally graces the older’s face when he pulls the brunette’s body closer into his. “It is this time.”

✶ ✶ ✶

Explaining the situation to Chanyeol turns out to be a more civil task than expected, once he sees Sehun fully alert and standing close to a familiar face.

“So let me get this straight, you guys want to take Sehun back to your origin planet so that he can fully express his powers and no longer feels pain?”

“Essentially, yes.” Kai shrugs.

Chanyeol shakes his head, folding his long arms sternly across his chest. “No, I don’t buy it. If you’re really helping him release his powers, you should already know what they are.”

Baekhyun steps in, pulling out a tablet to show proof of seismic readings. “There’s been a surge of cataclysmic energy coming from Xolar in recent Orbits. Lots of hurricane warnings were reported to Central Intelligence despite your cool temperatures all Orbit round. It’s just scientifically improbable to have that much wind activity in this realm. Since it was dangerous for Kai to come back here with Aster Patrol having an APB out on him, I came through Xolar instead to search for the source of energy. It led me to Sehun bent over, shrouded by dark clouds and crying alone in the eye of a small hurricane by the overpass.”

“We believe Sehun has power to control the winds.” Jongin summarises, throwing a cautious glance at the brunette who’s gone quiet.

“It’s also very much affected by his emotions. If Sehun doesn’t get himself in check by the time his binds expire, he could pose as a potential threat to Xolar altogether.” Baekhyun hands the tablet over the Chanyeol who scrolls through the data with a frown on his face.

He looks up from the screen all of a sudden, gaze directed at the younger. “Did you know about this?”

Sehun shakes his head slowly. “It never occurred to me.”

The cotton-candy haired male nods affirmatively, handing the tablet back to the blonde. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

Jongin whips out some sort of digital pocket watch with numbers that jump up and down every few seconds. “We initially locked in a deliberate space jump to get on the radars as a faster alternative to get Sehun to come to us. But now with Aster Troops on our backs, it’s likely we’ll need to find a way to get back undetected.”

Baekhyun squints out into the horizon, motioning for them to get back when he notices the headlights of a hovercraft in the distance. He snaps a finger and the room drastically dims, moonlight no longer shining in through the big hole in the wall.

The hovercraft scans its lights into the building, scouring for signs of life. The four moves further into the building, hiding behind a huge pillar. They huddle close.

“There’s gonna be a solar eclipse tonight.” Baekhyun whispers as quietly as he can. “The new moon will orbit directly in front of the sun, casting a shadow onto Xolar and weakening the energy from the source. A total eclipse lasts for only a few minutes though—“

“But that’s when we activate the backup generator from the Black Pearl. You know how tight security is during solar eclipses.” Sehun argues. Chanyeol slaps a hand over the younger’s mouth when they hear rushed footsteps coming up the stairs.

“That’s why we have approximately three seconds to jump.” Jongin supplies.

“No.” The brunette objects fervently. “No, there’s no way we can pull this off.”

“If I was jumping on my own, I could easily make it out in 0.7 seconds. But with triple the weight, it’s gonna be much harder.” The tan male whispers. “Not impossible though.”

“Are you sure?” Sehun looks over his shoulder to see two Aster Patrol troopers searching the open area, only to continue further up the stairs. He nibbles on a chipped thumbnail anxiously. Jongin softens at the sight, gingerly reaching over to pull the brunette’s hand away and intertwines their fingers to calm his nerves.

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.” He flashes Sehun a small smile before redirecting his attention to the other two in front of him. “We just gotta find a way to get to the Aster Pulse bridge. The radiating kinetic energy will help me teleport faster.”

“I’m sure the patrol troops are gonna be stationed right by the Black Pearl. They’re not gonna shake us off. You being seen with Sehun is gonna look like a hostage situation.” Chanyeol shifts his body to block the rest when he notices the troopers climbing back down the steps in a failed sweep. He puts his finger to his lips and signals for them to move over to the other side, facing the smashed wall.

Once the pattering of heavy boots recede, Jongin shakes his head. “I don’t see any other way around this especially with a big red bullseye on my back.”

“Then how about a distraction?” Baekhyun extends a hand out to the vehicle approaching the exposed wall.

Just when a sliver of light illuminates through the gaping hole, he clenches his hand into a fist and the headlights of the hovercraft shatter, submerging them into complete darkness.

Sehun and Chanyeol simultaneously release awed gasps.

The blonde male turns to Jongin. “If you can find a way to distract the guards, Chanyeol and I will get Sehun to the Aster Pulse bridge. Regroup to our location and we get the hell out of there.”

“I can pull the emergency lever to stall the shields.” Chanyeol eagerly volunteers.

Sehun slaps a hand across the taller’s chest. “Are you trying to get killed here?”

“You trust me don’t you?” He asks, and even in the darkness Sehun can tell the former has a wide grin on his face. “I want your happiness more than anything. Besides, I don’t like owing people favours. So let me risk my life to raise your chances of getting out of here safely.”

Sehun feels a big, comforting pat on his shoulder and realises just how much he’ll miss the older.

✶ ✶ ✶

Once Chanyeol’s hovercraft lands in the parking bay, the four gear up for a fight. Jongin kisses Sehun on the temple with a promise to be careful before disappearing into thin air.

“I’ll never get used to the powers.” Chanyeol adds fleetingly as he adjusts the settings of his suit.

“I’m gonna throw up.” Sehun takes a deep breath; shaky and anxious.

“No time for that, we gotta move fast.” Baekhyun pulls a helmet over his head and steps out of the craft. The trio makes their way across the parking lot, avoiding the flurry of troopers preparing for the lockdown.

They navigate the halls easily with Sehun’s  
instructions, probation giving him so much free time to familiarise himself with each and every hallway.

They almost reach the Pulse Chamber without any issues until:

“You three there where do you think you’re going? That room’s off limits during an eclipse.”

They freeze in their steps.

Heavy trudging of boots grows louder in volume as the trio whirl around to come into direct confrontation with four armed guards.

“Uh...” Chanyeol scrambles to think of an answer.

“We have no time for this.” Sehun punches one guard square in the face, while Baekhyun temporarily blinds the other three. Sehun grabs an access pass and tosses it over to Chanyeol who quickly runs in to pull the lever.

Sehun avoids a jab of a stun gun aimed af his torso. He throws a roundhouse kick, sending the weapon flying and knocking the guard out by the jaw.

He ducks in time when another guard lunges at him, throws him over the shoulder and knocks him out with the stun gun.

“Damn, Chanyeol was right, I would make a good criminal.” he huffs, dusting his hands.

He glances over to see Baekhyun heaving one of the four guards passed out on the floor. “Help me with this.” They drag the bodies over to random storage room and peek outside to make sure no one else is in the vicinity.

Sehun startles when he hears static crackling behind him, but realises that it’s Jongin materialising out of nowhere. The tanned male glances at his watch. “The East plane is clear. We’ve got 20 seconds to make a run for it.”

Baekhyun nods. “The eclipse should be happening in 10. We gotta go.”

“I did it! This should stall the backup power generator by a few seconds.” Sehun turns around to look at Chanyeol as the taller male shuts the door behind him.

“You shouldn’t go any further.” He starts, stepping forward to place a hand on the taller’s shoulder. “The Aster Prime can’t find out you were an accomplice.”

“But—“ The younger cuts him off with a tight embrace, closing his eyes to relish in the comforting warmth of his dependable presence. “Thank you for everything. I’m glad to have you as a friend.”

Chanyeol reciprocates the hug. “I’ll miss you, buddy.” The pink-haired male rubs his back one last time before letting go, and pushing the trio towards the Pulse Chamber. “I’ll handle the mess here. So go save the galaxy.”

✶ ✶ ✶

Sehun chokes on a deep gust of air when his feet touch the ground, doubling over into a fit of coughs. He clasps tightly onto Jongin’s arm around his waist to anchor himself, as the latter rubs his back soothingly. “You okay?”

“Don’t make me do that ever again.” he wheezes. Jongin chuckles lightly, offering a helping hand. Sehun takes it and heaves himself up.

“Be grateful we even made it in one piece.” Baekhyun scoffs, patting down his body to make sure no body parts were lost in the process.

Shoulders shaking from laughter, Jongin points accusingly at the older. “You need to have more faith in me.”

Meanwhile, Sehun is busy gawking at the landscape before him.

The sky is overcast in tinted yellow hues. Tall, looming skyscrapers cast a deep shadow over his figure. Everything feels like a fever dream.

A placating hand gingerly rests on the small of his back, as if fearing to startle him.

“You’ve seen this place in a dream?” Jongin asks curiously, peering up at the younger’s dazed expression.

“Yeah, exactly this,” he voices quietly, taking a tentative step forward, then another, and then another—until he’s walking in the direction of the tallest skyscraper. “except everything was red.”

The pair follow after him, surprised that Sehun knew exactly where he was going. The brunette recalls the direction of the voices beckoning for him. Towards the skyscrapers. His feet move on their own until they finally stop right outside the glass doors.

He turns to face the pair, eyes glancing around the uncanny landscape. “There’s no one here.”

“No, not yet. It’s the crack of dawn here.” Baekhyun nods in affirmation as he brushes past the younger to step into the building. “Come, let’s meet the Guardian.”

A lift made out of titanium takes them up to the highest floor—when Jongin keys in a password. The older’s strong presence and comforting hand on the small of his back, makes Sehun feel less anxious about the whole situation.

“Don’t be nervous, our Guardian has good intentions.” Jongin’s breath tickles his ear when the former leans in to whisper quietly.

A stern voice inquires the moment the trio step through the double doors, “Did you complete the extraction?”

Jongin and Baekhyun bow at the figure seated with his back facing them. Sehun catches a glimpse of fiery red strands as the chair swivels.

“We did.” The oldest of the three replies with a respective lilt in his tone.

“And the mark from the bind?” he probes.

“Confirmed. He’s one of us.”

The mysterious male fully turns to face the trio, greeting them with a wicked smile plastered on his face. His bright red hair is styled upwards to resemble two horns, matching the blood red suit he dons. The colour contrasts heavily against his fair skin, especially where the jacket parts to reveal toned six packs. Sitting casually behind his desk, hands stuffed into his pockets—Sehun can feel the charismatic aura the male imposes on the room. The brunette averts his gaze when the leader’s emerald orbs meets his.

“Nice to finally meet you, Oh Sehun.” he starts, “I’m formally known as the Guardian of the Red Kingdom. But you can call me Suho.”

An amiable smile graces his symmetrical face as he rises to his feet. “When I heard that about an anomaly on Planet Xolar, I arranged for Shadow Corps to conduct a search and rescue immediately. The primary objective of our organisation is to rebuild what was lost and taken from us. We’re excited to work with you and develop your skills into a valuable asset that can help to save millions of lives.”

“We’ll get your birthmark checked first thing in the morning.” He reassures Sehun when he sees the skepticism in the younger’s eyes. “There’s much for you to do here. But for now, I hope you’ll make yourself comfortable. You are home.”

He folds his arms behind him with a small bow to which Sehun reciprocates. “Kai has a spare room in the East Wing. You may stay there until Baekhyun sorts out your living arrangements.”

The shorter blonde chuckles teasingly. “Though that probably won’t be necessary.”

✶ ✶ ✶

Pushing the doors wide open, Jongin meekly invites Sehun in. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“Your bachelor pad is bigger than my apartment back in Xolar.” he jokes and Jongin lets out a shy giggle.

“There’s a pretty view too.” Jongin points at the floor to ceiling window. “Though I think I found a better one recently.”

He turns to Sehun with a lazy smirk, skillfully taking off the watch on his wrist. Sehun stops Jongin just as the latter reaches up to take his stetson off.

“Don’t.”

Jongin raises an intrigued brow, smug look on his face as his hands come up to rest on his hips. “That’s new. I thought you said you hated my hat.”

“I said it looked stupid, I never said I hated it.” He chews on his bottom lip shyly as the ash-blonde male moves closer to level their gazes. Sehun turns away from the approaching hunter in an attempt to hide the bright blush creeping up his neck.

It happens faster than he blinks, when Jongin materialises in front of him and tackles him into the ground. But instead of meeting the hard surface, Sehun’s back sinks softly into a plush mattress. He clasps the soft velvet sheets beneath his fingertips as Jongin leans in to capture his lips in an urgent kiss.

When he leans back to admire Sehun, the younger’s lips are already fully red and swollen—shiny and slick with spit. The brunette’s heaving chest and clear emerald eyes have always been his weakness, but Jongin soon finds himself back to worshipping the pristine skin of Sehun’s taut body.

No new scars, he realises. “You must’ve been such a good boy since I left.” Jongin’s seductive voice rings in Sehun’s ears as the older continues to leave a trail of love bites down the length of his body. It should have made him feel bad, the fact that Jongin had even left him without a trace in the first place. But the only thing he could focus on was the lust clouding his mind.

“Shut up,” he breathes as the older licks up his sternum, tongue running over a nipple before suckling on it. “I’m not forgiving you anytime soon, you fucking broke me.”

Jongin hums distractedly around the nub as his tongue circles around it. “I’ll fix you right back, I promise.”

He bites on the sensitive skin and Sehun’s back arches up like a live wire.

Layers of clothes are shed and strewn all across the room as Jongin gets to work, worshipping every single detail of the body he’s been yearning to touch again—after so long. He sucks a trail of love bites down the length of the brunette’s body, humming on his way down.

Sehun lets out a filthy moan when Jongin nudges at his hardening shaft with his nose, before proceeding to suck on his heavy balls, hands drifting to the globes of his ass for a better grip. The image of the older buck naked and giving him head ingrains itself into his mind forever.

The only thing in the way of his perfect view, is Jongin’s cowboy hat.

“Yeah you know what, fuck this stupid hat.” He yanks the stetson off the older’s head to reveal Jongin licking the tip of his stiff cock enthusiastically. The sensations he feels when the older stuffs the full length of his dick into his mouth and starts bobbing eagerly, is enough to make his toes curl. He sends random things flying in the room.

“Look at you,” Jongin chuckles as he eases off the stiff length, spitting onto it for better lubrication. “I haven’t even touched you yet.” He goes back down on the younger, earning desperate fingers clutching onto his long strands of ash-blonde hair. Sehun feels two fingers breach into his ass, massaging gently in time with the steady suction around his shaft. Sehun wraps his legs around the older’s head, groaning in pleasure.

“Jongin, stop. Please.” he gasps. “I’m gonna—”

Jongin goes down for one last hard suck, and feels Sehun’s body go rigid beneath his touch—back arching and moans lewd as he releases into Jongin’s warm cavern.

The brunette covers his face with his hands when the older crawls up to kiss him. “I told you to stop.” Sehun relents, when he feels Jongin gently coaxing him with his nose. His eyes widen as he tastes the remnants of his release when he laps at the latter’s pouty lips. He feels his dick stirring back to life against Jongin’s thigh.

The tanned male smirks knowingly. “I’m still hard, if that makes you feel any better.”

Sehun sits up immediately, pushing the older onto his back and mounting him. Jongin reaches into his bedside table and tosses a condom and a bottle of lubricant at the brunette. He licks his lips as he watches Sehun dribble lube onto his aching shaft, before circling a hand around it. “You’re beautiful, you know that?” he grunts, breathless when the younger starts to stroke. Jongin thrusts shallowly into the ring of Sehun’s fingers, relishing in the feeling of having someone else’s hands on him for the first time in a while. “Yeah, just like that.”

Sehun starts to rut against the older’s strong thighs as he continues his ministrations.

“Fuck,” he swears as he quickens his pace, the hand rolling down the condom halting from the sudden onslaught of pleasure.

A bead of sweat rolls down Jongin’s temple from holding out his orgasm. He rubs on Sehun’s knee and the younger gets the memo. Sehun rises to his knees, body hovering over older’s as he eases himself onto Jongin’s hard cock. “Fuck, yes.” he groans when he finally bottoms out, hands clutching onto Jongin’s chest as his hazy emerald eyes stare into those alluring brown orbs. A sharp slap lands right on his tight ass and all the windows slam open, winds blowing heavily into the room.

“My bad.” Sehun whispers before he goes right the fuck to town. He rides on Jongin’s dick like a stallion on its way to war. Each swivel of his hips is exquisite and Jongin feels the signs of an impending orgasm. Broken moans fill the air as the older starts to buck his hips up in time with Sehun’s.

“Sehun!” Jongin grunts out loud when he finally bursts into the younger’s tight snatch. The latter follows right after, painting the tanner male’s abs with thick white ropes of cum. Jongin reaches a hand out to milk him completely. Sehun’s body trembles from the overstimulation. He leans down to lick strings cum off the older, eyes bleary as they hold gazes.

“Should I pull out?” Jongin breathes heavily, once Sehun is done—running a hand through soft black locks. The younger firmly shakes his head, and the pair shift slowly to settle into a comfortable position.

“Sehun,” Jongin whispers into the crook of the younger’s neck, basking in the warm afterglow of some good sex.

The brunette hums questioningly.

Inquisitive eyes peer up at him from below. “Why did you decide to come back with me?”

He stares blankly at the messy state of the room. He couldn't believe he had done all this. Fingers dance absently along the expanse of beautifully tanned skin as Sehun fully devotes himself to his thoughts. 

“I lost everything I ever wanted the moment you left. What else do orphans like me have to lose by coming here?” All Sehun’s ever dreamt about was this moment— having Jongin laying in his arms, satiated and happy to simply exist in the same space.

There’s a vibration on his shoulder as Jongin lets out a thoughtful hum at the revelation.

The next words that come out of Jongin’s mouth are quiet but momentous.

“Would you be mine if I asked?”

Sehun turns his head sharply to stare down into vulnerable brown orbs. “I know I never had the chance to ask you back then. But I’ve always wanted to, and I hope it’s not too late.”

A warm hand cups the younger’s jaw; thumb smoothing out over the plaster on his cheek, a reminder of how much Sehun had wanted to push him away initially.

“It’s selfish of me, I know. You don’t even have to forgive me, but it’ll mean everything to me if I could make you mine, Oh Sehun.”

The brunette simply no longer has the willpower to keep lying to himself anymore.

He loves Jongin. Always has, and always will.

He grins at the tanner male, leaning down to grapple him into a sweet kiss. “You better not regret asking then.” Jongin licks into bruised lips with a sultry smile, tongue running smoothly along Sehun’s bottom lip before nipping it softly.

“Of course not, you’re my ride or die. Forever and always. I promise.”

✶ ✶ ✶


End file.
